Dog Zen 

Newsletter of the Dog Zen Dyad Group

Addendum to Number 2, March 2002

COC and COCOA

Here are more detailed descriptions of the two Dog Zen Dyads

COC (Dyad 2)

The Consciousness of Consciousness Dyad

Purpose

To increase one’s ability to become directly aware of one’s own awareness.

To practice detaching awareness from what it is aware of.

Method

Two individuals sit in dyad. This dyad is done with 5-minute bells.

The receptive partner holds a small physical object, such as a nut.

Part 1:

The receptive partner gives this instruction to the active partner:

“Be aware of the [names the object, such as “nut.”]”

The active partner complies with the instruction and indicates when he or she has done it.

The receptive partner says “thank you.”

Part 2:

The receptive partner gives this instruction to the active partner:

“Detach awareness from what it is aware of and become aware of awareness itself.”

The active partner complies with the instruction and indicates when he or she has done it.

The receptive partner says “thank you.”

[Note: the active partner should do what the instruction says, even if only a little bit.]

Part 3:

The receptive partner gives this instruction to the active partner:

“Tell me your comments or observations about that.”

The active partner complies with the instruction and then indicates when he or she has finished.

The receptive partner says “thank you.”

Start at Part 1 again and continue until the bell rings, then reverse roles.

Second Form

Purpose:

To stabilize in the state of awareness aware only of itself.

At some point, if the active partner wants to stabilize the awareness of awareness state, the dyad is done with the following variation:

Part 1: Same as above.

Part 2: Same as above.

Part 3:

The receptive partner gives this instruction to the active partner:

"Comment at will."

The intent is to have the active partner stay in the state of awareness aware of itself and comment any time he or she wants to, but without breaking the state. Stay in "Part 2" until the end of the 5-minute period, then reverse roles.

COCOA (Dyad 4)

The Consciousness of Consciousness of Another Dyad

Purpose

To increase one’s ability to become aware of one's awareness of another.

[We are still trying to find out what this is doing.]

Method

The method is the same as the one above, but with these instructions:

Part 1:

"Be aware of another."

Part 2:

"Detach awareness from what it is aware of and become aware of your awareness of the other."

Part 3:

"Tell me your comments and observations about that."

The "another" in Part 1 is your dyad partner (at least at first).